LANSING, Mich., April 15, 2024 — An accounting error was identified in applications from state Rep. Kristian Grant’s (D-Grand Rapids) applications for small business recovery funds. These applications were filed before the representative was elected to her current position, and her tax filings have been updated and revised. In response, Grant issued the following statement:
“Before I was elected as state representative, I worked to develop small businesses and have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. One of the many reasons I work so hard now in my role as an elected official to support small businesses across the state is because I know first-hand how vital small-business owners are to having a thriving and diverse economy. Like many small-business owners, I applied for grants, including COVID-19 recovery assistance. I qualified for two grants from Kent County and used those funds to keep business operations going during COVID, which was reported to the County. In my final report, there was an accounting error for one of my business grants — which was just that, an accounting error. I became aware of the error when the county alerted me about it in 2023, upon which I worked with my accountant to find the flaw and subsequently revise my tax filings to correct the accounting flaw. Furthermore, Kent County’s legal team reviewed all paperwork and has since confirmed that it was an error of paperwork and nothing inappropriate or illegal had taken place. It’s also worthy to note that the only individual making unsubstantiated and false claims about this non-story is my previous opponent — just another example of time wasted on playing party politics. I will continue to focus my time on doing the work of the people, including supporting small businesses and the hard-working folks who run them.”